The subject matter described and/or illustrated herein relates generally to electrical connectors, and more particularly, to electrical connectors for terminating coaxial cables.
Due to their favorable electrical characteristics, coaxial cables and connectors have grown in popularity for interconnecting electronic devices and peripheral systems. Coaxial cable connectors typically include an inner electrical contact coaxially disposed within an outer electrical contact of an electrically conductive housing, with a dielectric material separating the inner electrical contact and the outer electrical contact. The inner electrical contact terminates the end of an inner electrical conductor of the coaxial cable, while the electrically conductive housing terminates an outer electrical conductor of the coaxial cable that is coaxial with the inner electrical conductor. The outer electrical conductor of the coaxial cable and the electrically conductive housing of the coaxial cable connector typically serve as the ground path.
At least some known electrical contacts of coaxial cable connectors that terminate the end of the inner electrical conductor of coaxial cables include a body that extends between a cable-receiving end portion that receives the inner electrical conductor and a contact end portion that includes a plug or receptacle contact portion configured to engage a receptacle or plug contact portion, respectively, of another coaxial cable connector. The body includes a pair of contact elements that extend outwardly from the contact end portion of the body and have free end portions that define the cable-receiving end portion of the body. The contact elements are angled with respect to one another prior to engagement with the inner electrical conductor of the coaxial cable. To terminate the inner electrical conductor of the coaxial cable to the electrical contact, the inner electrical conductor is positioned between the pair of contact elements and the contact elements are brought together using a crimping operation such that the inner electrical conductor is held securely therebetween. However, the geometry of at least some known electrical contacts of coaxial cable connectors, such as, but not limited to, the exemplary geometry described above, may require specific tools and/or multiple crimping operations to complete termination of the inner electrical conductor of the coaxial cable to the electrical contact of the coaxial cable connector.
There is a need for a coaxial cable connector that enables a coaxial cable to be more easily terminated to the coaxial cable connector.